English
With the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an upstream-bound one, bound for the Akaniṭṭha realm. Just as, monks, when an iron plate heated all day is struck, a spark arises, flies up, and falls into a large heap of grass or wood. It might generate fire there, it might generate smoke; having generated fire and generated smoke, having consumed that large heap of grass or wood, it might burn the thicket, it might burn the jungle; having burned the thicket and burned the jungle, having reached a green border, or a path border, or a rock border, or a water border, or a pleasant piece of ground, it might, without fuel, be extinguished. In the same way, monks, a monk practices thus: 'May it not be, may it not be mine...' With the destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an upstream-bound one, bound for the Akaniṭṭha realm. These, monks, are the seven destinations of persons. And what, monks, is ungrasped Nibbāna? Here, monks, a monk practices thus: 'May it not be, may it not be mine; it will not be, it will not be mine; what exists, what has come to be, that I abandon' — he attains equanimity. He does not delight in existence, he does not delight in becoming; he sees with right wisdom the supreme, peaceful state. And that state of his is fully realized; his latent tendency to conceit is fully abandoned; his latent tendency to craving for existence is fully abandoned; his latent tendency to ignorance is fully abandoned. With the destruction of the taints... ...having realized it for himself, he abides. This, monks, is called ungrasped Nibbāna. Nibbāna. These, monks, are the seven destinations of persons, and parinibbāna without clinging. The Second. 3. The Tissa Brahmā Sutta 56. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying in Rājagaha, on Gijjhakūṭa mountain. Then, two deities, when the night was far advanced, with resplendent beauty, illuminating the entire Gijjhakūṭa, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, one deity said this to the Blessed One: “These bhikkhunis, venerable sir, are liberated.” The other deity said this to the Blessed One: “These bhikkhunis, venerable sir, are well-liberated, without any remainder of clinging.” These words the deities spoke. The Teacher assented. Then those deities, thinking “The Teacher assents,” paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him respectfully, and right there vanished. Then the Blessed One, when that night had passed, addressed the monks: “This night, monks, two deities, when the night was far advanced, with resplendent beauty, illuminating the entire Gijjhakūṭa, approached me. Having approached, they paid homage to me, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, monks, one deity said this to me: ‘These bhikkhunis, venerable sir, are liberated.’ The other deity said this to me: ‘These bhikkhunis, venerable sir, are well-liberated, without any remainder of clinging.’ These words, monks, the deities spoke. Having said this, they paid homage to me, circumambulated me respectfully, and right there vanished.” Now at that time, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was sitting not far from the Blessed One. Then this thought occurred to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: “Which deities have such knowledge, that ‘with remainder of clinging’ is ‘with remainder of clinging,’ or ‘without remainder of clinging’ is ‘without remainder of clinging’?” Now at that time, a bhikkhu named Tissa had recently passed away and was reborn in a certain Brahmā-world. There too they know him thus: “Tis that Brahmā is mighty and powerful.” Then, the venerable Mahāmoggallāna— just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm, or flex his extended arm— vanished from Gijjhakūṭa mountain and appeared in that Brahma-world. Tissa Brahmā saw the venerable Mahāmoggallāna approaching from afar. Having seen the venerable Mahāmoggallāna, he said this: “Come, dear Moggallāna; welcome, dear Moggallāna! It has been a long time, dear Moggallāna, since you made this journey, that is, to come here. Sit down, dear Moggallāna, this seat is prepared.” The venerable Mahāmoggallāna sat down on the prepared seat. Tissa Brahmā, too, having saluted the venerable Mahāmoggallāna, sat down to one side. To Tissa Brahmā, who was sitting to one side, the venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this: “Of which gods, Tissa, is there such knowledge: ‘This is with residue, or this is without residue’?” “Of the Brahmā-group gods, dear Moggallāna, is there such knowledge: ‘This is with residue, or this is without residue’.” “Is it of all the Brahmā-group gods, Tissa, that there is such knowledge: ‘This is with residue, or this is without residue’?” “No, dear Moggallāna, it is not of all the Brahmā-group gods that there is such knowledge: ‘This is with residue, or this is without residue’.” “Those Brahmā-group gods, dear Moggallāna, who are content with the Brahma-life, content with the Brahma-beauty, content with the Brahma-happiness, content with the Brahma-fame, content with the Brahma-dominion, they do not truly know the further escape. For them, there is no such knowledge: ‘This is with residue, or this is without residue’. But those, dear Moggallāna, who are Bra Brahma-bodied devas are not content with their Brahma-like lifespan, not content with their Brahma-like beauty, with their Brahma-like happiness, with their Brahma-like fame, with their Brahma-like dominion. And they truly understand the further escape. Such is their knowledge: 'With remainder, it is with remainder; without remainder, it is without remainder.' Here, friend Moggallāna, a monk is liberated in both ways. Those devas know him thus: 'Indeed, this venerable one is liberated in both ways. As long as his body remains, devas and humans will see him. With the breaking up of the body, devas and humans will not see him.' Thus too, friend Moggallāna, is the knowledge of those devas: 'With remainder, it is with remainder; without remainder, it is without remainder.' But here, friend Moggallāna, a monk is liberated by wisdom. Those devas know him thus: 'Indeed, this venerable one is liberated by wisdom. As long as his body remains, devas and humans will see him. With the breaking up of the body, devas and humans will not see him.' Thus too, friend Moggallāna, is the knowledge of those devas: 'With remainder, it is with remainder; without remainder, it is without remainder.' But here, friend Moggallāna, a monk is a body-witness. Those devas know him thus: 'Indeed, this venerable one is a body-witness. It is possible that this venerable one, resorting to suitable abodes, associating with good friends, and developing his faculties— for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness— that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life— may realize it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, and dwell having attained it.' Thus too, friend Moggallāna, is the knowledge of those devas: 'With remainder, it is with remainder; without remainder, it is without remainder.' But here, friend Moggallāna, a monk has attained to view... ...is liberated by faith... ...is a Dhamma-follower. Those devas know him thus... they know: ‘This venerable one is a Dhamma-follower. Perhaps this venerable one, by resorting to suitable abodes, by associating with good friends, by bringing his faculties into harmony— for the sake of which young men of good family rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life— will, in this very life, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge, enter upon and abide in it.’ Thus, indeed, Moggallāna, dear sir, is the knowledge of those devas: ‘With residual clinging, it is with residual clinging; without residual clinging, it is without residual clinging.’” Then the venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having approved and rejoiced in the words of Tissa Brahmā— just as a strong man might extend his bent arm, or bend his extended arm— even so, he vanished from the Brahmā-world and appeared on Gijjhakūṭa mountain. Then the venerable Mahāmoggallāna approached the Blessed One; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Mahāmoggallāna reported to the Blessed One all the conversation he had had with Tissa Brahmā. “But, Moggallāna, Tissa Brahmā did not describe the seventh person who abides in the signless.” “It is time for this, Blessed One; it is time for this, Sugata! That the Blessed One should describe the seventh person who abides in the signless. Having heard from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.” “In that case, Moggallāna, listen, pay careful attention; I shall speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Mahāmoggallāna replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Here, Moggallāna, a bhikkhu, by not attending to all signs, enters upon and abides in the signless concentration of mind. Those devas know him thus: ‘This venerable one, by not attending to all signs, enters upon and abides in the signless concentration of mind. Perhaps this venerable one, by resorting to suitable abodes, associating with good friends, directing the faculties— for the sake of which sons of good families rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life— having realized it for themselves with direct knowledge in this very life, they would abide in it.’ Thus, Moggallāna, is the knowledge of those devas: ‘With clinging, or without clinging; with residue, or without residue.’” The third. 4. The Discourse to General Sīha 57. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Gabled Hall. Then General Sīha approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, General Sīha said to the Blessed One: “Is it possible, Venerable Sir,